Women’s tennis to face BYU

By Chris Ray
Skiff Staff

TCU women’s tennis coach Roland Ingram knows the road back to the Western Athletic Conference Championships is filled with ranked opponents.

“We have a very young team this season,” Ingram said. “We are learning everyday and gaining experience with every match.”

The lack of experience was evident in a 6-1 loss at Baylor Monday.

Sophomore Rosa Perez practices her forehand at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center. Perez is one of nine underclassmen on this year’s women’s tennis squad, which plays at 2 p.m. today at home against Brigham Young.

Attempting to gain its first win of the spring season, the TCU women's tennis team will play Brigham Young at 2 p.m. today at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center.

The Frogs managed their only point against Baylor with freshman Saber Pierce’s singles win over Karim Anderson, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2.

Ingram said sophomore Brenna Shackelford and junior Leoni Weirich will have to play veteran roles, being the two remaining players from last year’s team.

“We are asking Brenna and Leoni to step up their play to make up for the losses suffered by graduation and players leaving,” Ingram said. “This is a young team, and they will only get better in time.”

Along with Pierce, TCU has a flurry of freshmen on the roster. Freshman Patricia Aburto looks to be at the top of the class of 2004 in the tennis ranks for the Frogs, Ingram said.

BYU, which will bring a record of 4-1 to Fort Worth, is coming off a 7-0 victory over Wisconsin Feb. 2. The Cougars, also a relatively young team, are coming off an average year at best, finishing 9-8 and 3-1 in the Mountain West Conference. BYU coach Craig Manning said the Cougars’ win over Wisconsin was encouraging.

“I thought we concentrated very well, and we were focused,” Manning said in a press release. “I am extremely pleased with our performance. We needed to have everyone put in their best effort, and that is exactly what everyone did.”

Manning said the lone senior for the Cougars, Jodi Richardson, is the leader on the court and motivator for the rest of the team.

“(Richardson) is the key for this team,” Manning said. “She leads, and the rest of the team follows the tone set by her play.”

Richardson sat out of BYU’s match against Wisconsin due to injury, but she will play against TCU.Ingram said a win over BYU could help motivate the Frogs.

“BYU is a very good team with a good record thus far into the season,” Ingram said. “It would be a big win for this team, and a win at home would make it that much better.”

Chris Ray
j.c.ray@student.tcu.edu